African Festival of the Arts

Your Labor Day weekend activities can include a dive into African and African-American culture at the African Festival of the Arts. Art is, of course, a major focus of the festival, with featured artist, Dana Easter, showcasing her work along with Uwa Hunwick, Woodrow Nash, Stacy Brown, Dayo Laoye and more. The festival also will have an African marketplace, drum village, quilting pavilion, film screenings and more. The entertainment lineup has some familiar and fantastic names: Grammy-winning gospel sister duo Mary Mary; R&B singer India.Arie, above; funk legend Bootsy Collins; '80s and '90s R&B crooners Al B. Sure, Jon B, Christopher Williams and Chico DeBarge; Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago; the Fela Queens from the Tony Award-winning musical ¿Fela!¿; and the energy-packed youth gospel ensemble Joshua's Throop. A booming R&B voice, Tyrese, also will be at the festival, but only to sign copies of his new book, ¿How To Get Out of Your Own Way.¿ For a complete schedule go to africanfestivalchicago.com. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday through Monday in Washington Park, 51st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue; $10-$15, $30 for weekend pass; 773-955-2787

Your Labor Day weekend activities can include a dive into African and African-American culture at the African Festival of the Arts. Art is, of course, a major focus of the festival, with featured artist, Dana Easter, showcasing her work along with Uwa Hunwick, Woodrow Nash, Stacy Brown, Dayo Laoye and more. The festival also will have an African marketplace, drum village, quilting pavilion, film screenings and more. The entertainment lineup has some familiar and fantastic names: Grammy-winning gospel sister duo Mary Mary; R&B singer India.Arie, above; funk legend Bootsy Collins; '80s and '90s R&B crooners Al B. Sure, Jon B, Christopher Williams and Chico DeBarge; Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago; the Fela Queens from the Tony Award-winning musical ¿Fela!¿; and the energy-packed youth gospel ensemble Joshua's Throop. A booming R&B voice, Tyrese, also will be at the festival, but only to sign copies of his new book, ¿How To Get Out of Your Own Way.¿ For a complete schedule go to africanfestivalchicago.com. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday through Monday in Washington Park, 51st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue; $10-$15, $30 for weekend pass; 773-955-2787